Meat Ration (Hansard, 16 April 1951)

§ 26. Sir I. Fraser
asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement about the future of the meat ration.

§ Mr. Webb
As has already been announced, the 10d. meat ration for this week and next will consist entirely of carcase meat.

§ Sir I. Fraser
Is that the only forecast that can be given of the summer ration or next winter's ration? May we hope that we shall be better fed before this year is out?

§ Mr. Webb
Yes, Sir. I cannot make a detailed estimate of the increase in the meat ration in the immediate future until we know the result of current negotiations, but it is quite certain that the country's meat ration will be at least 1s. 8d. by about August onwards.

Air Commodore Harvey
Is the Minister aware that in my constituency, in the North-West of England, last weekend, a lot of meat was so bad that it could not be issued? Would he look into that?

§ Miss Horsbrugh
When the right hon. Gentleman said that he hoped for a 1s. 8d. meat ration, had he taken into account his statement that the rise in the ration would be 8½d.?

§ Mr. Webb
Yes. All these factors have been taken into account. We took into account the cost of the subsidy to the home farmers for their production, and in calculating that we arrived at the conclusion that the overall cost would be about 8½d. for each ration book per week for the current fiscal year.

§ Mr. Bossom
Would the Minister mind putting in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing how he arrives at this 8½d.?

§ Mr. Alport
Is that increase from 10d. to a 1s. 8d. ration induced by a rise in prices or by the increased quantity which will be available?

§ Mr. Webb
It is the expected result of an increase in home production at that time of the year.